Picture perfect
by TheDrunkenWerewolf
Summary: It has been ten years since the war ended. Aizen is gone, and Orihime is living at home with Gin and her son. Her life is perfect. But things don't stay picture perfect for very long. post war. Sequel to another story. Mentions previous AiHime and AiGin.
1. Picture perfect

Another story. And a sort of sequel to "the heir of las noches". So, this isn't a standalone story. And obviously some backstory spoilers if you look closely enough. This is a project i'm doing just for fun, and because a part of me doesn't feel right having the other story end at that point. Hopefully this one will be lot shorter though. A lot shorter. enjoy.

**Chapter 1: Picture perfect**

It was a warm sunny day, a normal summers day in the little town of Karakura. A picture perfect day.

It had been just over ten years since the winter war had ended and Aizen had gone missing, presumably killed in the crossfire and all the fighting. The sun broke into the windows of a small apartment building very early in the morning, and into the small bedroom of a young woman, who yawned and stretched at the sound of her alarm clock. She immediately got up and switched it off; there was no hitting the snooze button for her. She was wide awake and up within minutes. She had a lot to do after all, she had to get up and make breakfast and then get her kid ready for school and then go off to work, she had a busy day ahead of her.

She got up and pulled on her work clothes, consisting of a white shirt which both flattered her figure and adequately covered her ample breasts and a plain black pencil skirt with heels. She currently worked as a veterinary receptionist and today was her first day at this new job, so she thought she'd better make a good impression on the managers and the upper staff folk. She went down the stairs form her room, pinning up her long orange hair as she walked into the kitchen, expecting to be the one to make the breakfast. Only when she walked into the room she was greeted by a tall yet somewhat gangly figure, a man, currently standing over the oven, a frying pan in hand. He had pale skin and eyes that squinted in the daylight. His hair was a snowy white with tints of purple, and he had a grin that stretched from ear to ear that most rational people would flee from, but not her. But then again, this woman was not quite a rational person, and considering her past there wasn't much that could surprise her these days, much less this man, who had been her tenant for a good number of years now. He turned and smiled at her.

"Ah, g'mornin' Orihime-chan. I make ya pancakes!"

"Oh!" she gasped, quite surprised. "Yes, good morning Gin." she responded cheerfully, like she usually did. But something about her voice seemed a little distant.  
She had been daydreaming again, not surprisingly, and her thoughts had been drifting back to the past again, more so than usual lately.

_Maybe there was a reason for me having that dream again._ she thought to herself, not really taking much notice as Gin set a plate in front of her, sitting on it being a not quite circular pancake. They were her favourite.

"Hope ya like!" he grinned as she picked up her fork and took a bite.

"Mmm yummy!"

The sounds of footsteps - rather loud footsteps soon echoed through the room, followed by barking as a child and about eight white foxes scampered into the kitchen for breakfast. The littlest of the foxes, a small white fox with barely any black markings like his siblings arriving last of all. This fox of which was scooped up by a rather happy looking Gin.

"N'aww Pochi-chan."  
The baby fox squeaked and Gin practically melted into a puddle. Metaphorically speaking of course.

The child that had come in was a child of about ten years of age, and he had just taken a seat at the table. He was wearing a loose white t-shirt and a pair of light coloured jeans with a pair of red converse shoes.

"What's for breakfast mummy?"

He looked at his mother with with a silent awe. He was such a respectful child, and he embodied his father in that manner, as well as in his appearance. His mahogany hair settled in a rather unkempt mop on his head, just covering his eyes. His strong jaw accentuating his features, and although his skin wasn't as pale as his mother's, he did have her eyes; grey in colour with a purple hue to them. But unlike his mother's eyes, his reflected nothing of the hardships of the past. Nothing of betrayal and lies. He was a clean slate.

"Erik, we're having pancakes today." she said beaming happily at her son. "I hope you've done all of your homework for today."

"Yes mother. J'ai fait mes devoirs pour aujourd'hui." He responded to prove the fact that he had in fact done his homework. French, as was the subject he had been assigned.

"Trés bien." she smiled happily, now quite proud of her son.

"Merci beaucoup."

Each of them settled down to munch on their pancakes just as Gin came over and sat down next to them, not understanding a word they had been saying.

"Ne what're you two talkin' 'bout?"

"Oh, just my homework Gin-san." replied Erik, pouring golden syrup all over his pancake in circles before handing it to Gin's waiting hand, for Gin liked syrup on his food too. And like Erik, he also liked Orihime's strange home cooking. Although it had improved over the years.

"Glad to see yer still stickin' at it with th' books kid." Gin grinned, messing up Erik's hair as he took another bite of his food. He loved Erik as if he were his own child, and as such he wanted to see him do well in life, just like any parent. After all, having a child in his life had been his hearts desire for many years. Even if it meant they would all go through many hardships along the way. But now wasn't the time to be remembering the past. Because as they said, it was simply ancient history now.

But Orihime could not seem to stop remembering the past. Her mind often wandered back in time to the white building where she had ultimately been held as a prisoner. And the more she looked at Erik, the more she remembered his father.

"I hope you land that job mummy." Erik piped up, noticing that his mother was wearing her work clothes, and he knew that this was the perfect job for her. He knew his mother liked talking to people and that she would surely fit right in with her sunny disposition.  
"Aiya, I'm sure she will Erik-kun, your momma's real professional like."

Orihime smiled, suddenly reminded of older times when she saw the two of them conversing like that. Erik reminding her so much of the man she once loved and lost, and Gin the way he was before. It made her heart simply swell, and somewhat yearn to be back there, in the white building again.

Las Noches... he even remembered what it was called. She dreamt of it. She dreamt of him. She dreamt of that unforgettable night when they first made love, the time when she was young and stupid and naïve. She even dreamt of the time when he betrayed her...  
But that was the past. Now she had a family to look after. She had no time to reminisce about times gone by.  
Quickly glancing at the clock she realised that she was running a bit late. And Erik would be late for school.

"Ahh! Oh my god, we're going to be late! Erik come on you're going to be late for school!"

"Oh yes! Coming mother!"

Erik immediately leapt off of his chair to follow his mother, who was currently trying to run in her heels out of the door, the both of them leaving Gin to drink his coffee. They both ran to the door of their little apartment and Orihime fumbled clumsily for her keys, almost knocking over Erik in the process. She almost tore the door open when she finally managed to get a hold of her keys and open the lock.

"Great, being late, what a perfect way to start your first day at a new job..." she mentally scolded herself as she flung the door open, hoping to run straight out and into her car, but instead she just stood stock still in the doorway, with Erik standing behind her wondering why she wasn't moving.

"Mother? Why aren't we going?"  
Erik just looked at his mother's back, quite confused and worried now, for she was trembling.

"Mother?"  
Orihime's eyes widened in shock. Horror even. No, it couldn't be...

It just simply couldn't be...  
She swallowed, words seeming to fail her as she stood there frozen. Unable to even blink. It was like being transported back in time to when that fear descended upon her being whenever she was in his presence. But this was now, this was real. This was many years and one war later. When she had escaped with her child and fled from his clutches. But no, he was really here, it was really him, standing there in her doorway as if nothing had happened. She gasped again, swallowing all of her fear right back down into the very pit of her stomach, again, somehow mustering the courage to acknowledge his presence... and to speak his name.

"Aizen-sama..."


	2. I still remember you

**chapter 2: I still remember you**

"Mother, what's wrong?" Erik asked, quite bewildered and frightened at what was going on.

"Aizen." She growled, still trying to stop her legs from going out from under her they were shaking that much. She felt her boy tremble in fear while her heart thudded away in her chest. Erik whimpered quietly as he stayed behind his mother.

Orihime stepped backwards, and Erik hung onto her like he was hanging on for his life. She didn't know what to do. Her little boy was scared, and she couldn't do anything about it because she was probably more frightened than her little boy was at the power that radiated from the man standing in the doorway to her apartment right now.

Erik trembled behind his mother, quite fearful at this point, not knowing what was going to happen. Or who or what an Aizen was.

"What's an Aizen? Mummy, I'm scared... who is this man mummy?"

"Shh don't worry Erik, everything's going to be fine."

She tried to reassure him as she tried to get him out of harms way, because parents were supposed to be strong for their children. She was supposed to be strong. Even after all she had been through with Aizen she had told herself she would be strong for her son; for Erik. When she fled from his face before she was strong, when she faced him again to protect her child she was strong, so she could be strong now. There was no difference between then and now, her powers had grown over the last ten years so there was nothing to be afraid of.

"Mummy you're shaking."

"It's alright Erik... you just get back inside."

She backed up slowly, making slow but steady steps backwards back inside the apartment. Her apartment. Her little sanctuary away from the past. But now he was here, standing right there in her doorway. Smirking as he usually did.

"Well... aren't you going to let me in?"

Aizen took a step forward, prompting Orihime to put up her shield wordlessly to protect both herself and Erik. There was no way she was going to let this bastard touch her child. She knew what he was like, what he was capable of. She could feel the spiritual energy seeping from him. And she knew there was the possibility the Erik wouldn't be able to withstand it now since it was much more powerful than before. Much more powerful.

He was just as he was when she had fought him before, still the same. Dark eyes, thick, dark hair, strong jawbone, squared shoulders... still with the same aura emanating from him, that same dark and seemingly infinite power beyond even her wildest dreams. And yet he was still so calm and placid...

Little Erik was just stunned and shaking all over, his mother was in danger and this man was so much bigger and stronger then her, and Erik had no idea what he could do. After all, he was just a little boy, what could he do to fight?

"Mother?"

"You just stay back Erik." Orihime told him, pushing him to step backwards away from her as she faced the intruder. Funny, she never thought she would ever call the man she once loved an intruder... never in a million years.

"What are you doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious? I came here to see you."

He took another step towards her, and she only strengthened her shield against him.

"You were gone for ten years... how dare you come back now!"

She growled at him as Erik his behind her watching. He seemed so calm for a man of such power. Surely he would be angry by now?

"You forgot what we shared so easily? All that time we spent together... forgotten in but a single decade? No... the look on your face tells me you still remember... that you don't want to forget. That you still want to feel that way towards me."

He paused. As he normally did for dramatic effect. Indeed, nothing about his demeanour had changed even after ten years of absence and hiding from the world. Ten years of pretending to be dead as the world had believed him to be.

"Do you not remember that night? When the moon was absent from its place in the sky? When you came to me? Hmm, of course you do, how could you ever forget the night you first made love?"

She gasped, and her eyes met his. Time seemed to slow down and the world seem to fade away around them, just like before. Just like it was before the war and before all of the lies and deceit had emerged to the surface and none of the love made was a lie.

"Aizen, I..."

"And surely I am allowed to see my own flesh and..."

They looked at each other as they had back then, until the even thudding of footsteps from inside the apartment brought them back into the present. And the scream that followed them.

"Ikorose, Shinsou!"

Orihime turned, quickly reacting to the blade swinging through the air towards them, desperate to get her son out of its line of fire, screaming as she dove with him onto the floor out of the way.

"Erik get down!"

The blade swung down and around while shooting forward, completely shattering Orihime's shield into pieces and smacking against the wall leading up to the doorway, almost too quick for Aizen to dodge out of the way. Aizen was quite stunned, the people he never thought would attack him had actually attacked and shunned him.

Gin was just standing there, holding his blade he had already smacked into the wall, grinning like the Cheshire cat would do when he had captured his prey.

"You... have no right ta touch my family."

Orihime looked up at him, still quite shaken at the sudden violence. Even if it was to protect her and Erik from danger.

"Gin-san!"

Gin grinned at them both.

"I got worried when I didn' hear th' door slam like usual. You okay Hime-chan?"

Orihime got up slowly from her position on the floor, helping Erik up after she had gotten to her feet again.

"Umm, yeah, I'm okay."

"Alrighty then, you two get goin' yer gonna be late. I'll call ya when ya get there to make sure yer okay at work."

"Okay Gin-san." she replied, not hesitating in the slightest to get out of there as fast as possible.

"Come on Erik-kun we have to go."

"Okay mother. Bye bye Gin-san."

And with that she ushered Erik out of the door and they made a run for the car, leaving Gin to watch the intruder contemplating touching the boy as he left with his mother to go to school. Gin just growled deeply as he watched the intruder's hand twitch, and then recoil again when he heard Gin snarl further, retracting his sword again from the wall.

"You." he said "don't you _dare _touch my son."

The man looked at Gin, astounded, before he started half laughing as he replied.

"_Your _son? And who was it who gave you 'your' son? You are obviously not the boy's biological father."

"You try to tell me my own son is not mine? I'll kill ya, I raised him! I cared for him! He is _my_ son! How dare you try to tell me otherwise."

Gin gave no warnings at all, he just flew at him. Teeth bared, fangs at the ready, blade poised - to kill, if he must. Nobody was going to take his son away from him or harm his family in any way. He made sure of that when he became a part of this family that he would protect them and that was what he was going to do. Even if it meant beating down people like this who harmed or frightened his family.

Gin just ran at him, expecting a clean shot. Expecting to inflict some sort of injury and hurt, but what he got was not at all like he had expected. He had expected pain and screaming and blood.

But when his blade got there, there was nothing.

The man in his doorway had stopped his blade with his bare hand. And it was only then that Gin could really get a good look at him. Now it was Gin's turn to be completely stupefied, in complete and utter awe. Shock even.

"Oh my god..."

"Hello Gin." he smiled, with a soft tone in his voice and gentle expression not seen in more than a decade.

"Long time no see."

* * *

See, ten years in the plot later i can still bring the drama.

decided to use 'mummy' instead of 'mommy' in the end. Just seemed too out of character for him to use the american pronunciation of it. So my native english it is.

"Mummy, what's an Aizen?" oh my god i love Erik so much! Even though its bad to have favourites...

Anyway, comments are welcome but i won't force anyone.


	3. Once upon another time

**Chapter 3: Once upon another time**

Gin's face just dropped. He hadn't expected this, never in a thousand years did he think that he would be looking directly into those deep chocolate eyes once more. So close again after more than ten years of heart aching distance. His lips trembled, as he tried to find words. Words to say to him, to this man who had been the cause of so much unrest and change in his life.

"I... I didn't recognise you..."

They stayed motionless for what Gin thought could have been hours, which in reality was merely a few moments. Gin's once calm composure had been shaken completely, yet Aizen's warm expression did not change. It was such a surreal moment when someone you thought to have been dead to reappear right before you. Especially one who you had been apart from for more than a decade and shared so many secrets with.

"You can lower your blade now Gin."

Gin's breath shook whilst he tried to contain himself, trying to swallow everything, all of his emotions, back down into the pit of his stomach where it had once been. But he was failing, horribly. It all just poured out of him, starting from his eyes, regardless of whether he wanted it to or not. As Shinsou hit the floor, everything just became too much.

"Why do you cry, Gin?"

Gin said nothing in response, he could only physically stand there with his hands limp by his sides, trying to breathe and choking on sobs, trying and failing not to cry as Aizen just smiled softly at him.

"I... I just... can't..."

"It's okay."

Gin sniffed, trying to dry his tears with the back of his wrist. Which didn't really work, even though he was wearing a dark long sleeved t-shirt with his jeans today.

"You... you better come in. In case somebody sees you."

Gin stood aside to let him in, Aizen stopping partway to gently touch Gin's cheek, wiping one of his tears away with his thumb. Looking intently into those red orbs after ten years painfully reminding him of the past.

Gin shut the door after him and they walked into the apartment slowly. It had been so long since they had been in such close proximity, yet it brought back so many memories of a life together that was never meant to be.

Gin hadn't changed much in the subsequent ten years, and neither had he. His face was the same as always, and his mahogany coloured hair sat in a messy mop atop his head. To Gin, it felt like he had been thrown back in time to over a century ago, because Aizen looked just the same as he did then, only a touch more mature. No, nothing about Aizen had changed. Apart from his eyes. His eyes were darker, as they were post transition, as if he had just regained control again from his other side. And his skin was slightly paler than it was. Perhaps from a lack of sunlight?

"Why?" Gin asked, still in a state of disbelief, for the past had indeed come back to haunt him.

"That doesn't matter."

They stood there looking at each other in silence, neither one of them sure of the words to say. After all, what could they possibly say after all that had happened between them that wouldn't destroy all they had left? Gin struggled to find the words, but it was Aizen who broke the silence with the words Gin needed to hear.

"Come here."

Gin stepped back and hesitated, his hand subconsciously lifting towards his chest defensively and tensing his muscles, unsure of what to do. He had seen those darkened eyes before, long ago and it only meant pain was coming. But Aizen just looked serenely at him.

"Why do you fear me?"

Gin took another step backwards.

"You had those same eyes you did back then when you hurt me. When you raised your hand to me."

Aizen looked at him, his expression and voice becoming serious, although not harsh towards Gin.

"He is dead Gin. That part of me is dead."

Gin's uncertainty began to fade away the more he looked at Aizen. And slowly he padded over towards him. He wasn't in a gigai, so he was wearing his black shihakusho – for what reason Gin could not fathom because the last time they both saw each other in Las Noches they were both wearing white. But ten years had passed since then, the change of clothing now was not important. Gin was inches away from Aizen now, waiting for some form of reaction. Waiting for what he had wanted for ten long painful years, standing there in silence and looking into those eyes.

Aizen moved slowly, unsurely. As unsure as a death god could possibly be as his arms moved to pull Gin into him, into a warm embrace and rested his chin on Gins shoulder. Gin hesitated before returning it, his hands roaming onto Aizen's strong back that was still so familiar to him.

"Is the part of you I knew dead too?"

"No."

Aizen took a deep breath as Gin rested his head on his chest on the side where his heart was, quietly placing his own fingertips onto Gin's chest. He smiled.

"Your heart always beats fast when we're close."

"I miss us being close..."

Tears rolled down Gin's cheeks as he buried himself in the warmth of Aizen's body, unable to forget the past they once shared together.

"We were close like this when I asked you to defect with me... just like this..."

"You still remember that? It was so long ago..."

Aizen breathed quietly yet deeply, one hand resting across the back of Gin's shoulders while the other hand gently stroked his head that rested on him.

"I can only remember bits and pieces of the past, but it is you I remember most clearly because of what happened to me. What happened that made me remember."

"Then you died." Gin said. "You lied about being dead, just like how you lied back then. What's changed now? What makes you think it will stop now? This stupid lying. If I hadn't asked you to lie we wouldn't be here right now."

"But if you hadn't, you wouldn't have a son that loves you."

"You're right." Gin sighed. Even if it was because of pure deceit that Erik was born, Gin wouldn't trade him in for anything. Not even the guilt that came with driving Aizen away from him.

"But can't we go back Aizen? Can't we go back to how we were? We both still care for each other... and you remember me now."

"Gin you know it can't be how it was between us. There is too much history."

"Not even just once?"

"I don't know. We might have changed too much."

Gin sobbed again, choking again on more tears that he thought had been cried out long ago because of pain he thought he had buried deep inside him. And Aizen could feel Gin's heartbeat increasing. He tightened his embrace and soothed Gin by resuming stroking his hair again. Feeling every ounce of the pain Gin was feeling. And his own heartache of not being able to be with Gin again.

Gin whimpered again, on the verge of crying again. Choking on more uncontrollable sobs as he listened to the steady calm of Aizen's heartbeat.

"But, do you still... do you still love me?"

Aizen paused for a moment.

"...Yes. I do. And I always will. But the past was built around so many lies, Gin. And we just can't do that to Orihime again. So I think it's time for all the manipulation and these silly little mind games to stop. After all, we have a child. We have him to think about now."

_Which 'we' are you talking about? _Gin asked him silently. _You and her or you and me?_

Gin took a deep breath, and realised that Aizen was right. Things for them could never be how they were again. Too many lies had been told, too much deception and mind chess had been involved, and there had already been far too much violence and too many casualties for things to ever go back to how they were before any of this had happened. Their defection, the stupid war, the toying with people's emotions to get what they wanted... it was clear that this had to come to a stop. Even if it meant that they had to put their own happiness last.

Gin breathed in shakily, preparing himself to accept the future with his son. With Aizen's son. Even if it meant a future alone.

"I understand. What we had..."

Aizen sighed regretfully. "...It can't ever be, Gin. Not how it was. But at least some light did come out of the darkness of our past, and I am glad it did. You have a son who loves you."

Gin slowly calmed down, although not once did Aizen show any signs of letting Gin go. He knew Aizen still cared for him, just as he cared about Aizen – but Aizen was right. Things could never be how they were between them, no matter how much Gin wanted it to be. It would just make things too complicated, especially so since there was a child involved now. But that didn't change what they had, or how they felt, or the feelings they had for each other in the past. And it didn't change the fact they they still cared about one another.

Gin thought of that, and he smiled, despite the tears that were still cascading down his face. He thought of Erik and he smiled.

"Your son..."

"Yes." Aizen said, reaffirming Gin's statement, and reassuring himself at the same time. For it had been ten whole years since he had seen his child, and so much had changed in those subsequent ten years that now it seemed quite surreal for him to even have a child.

"Your god-son, Gin."


	4. Elvis isn't dead

The title is a song by Scouting for girls. It's about the only song of theirs i actually like.

anyway, enjoy the story. Props if you get the Ugly Betty reference in this chappie.

* * *

**Chapter 4: Elvis isn't dead**

As soon as she and Erik were in the car, Orihime slammed the door shut and sped off down the road, setting off on the drive to the school. Once she had dropped Erik off there, she would go to work and then spend the whole day there trying not to think about what happened that morning. She really had too much to think about already; fitting in at her new job, making friends with her co-workers, making sure that she didn't get fired, how Erik was doing at school... really, she had a lot on her plate and she just couldn't deal with Aizen showing up at her apartment out of the blue like that. Not right now anyway.

Orihime took a deep breath in and then sighed; today was going to be one very long day.

"Mummy, are you okay?" Erik asked her, sitting beside her in the passenger seat with his bag of books he had grabbed just before he was ushered out of the house by his mother.

"Oh, d- don't worry Erik. I'm fine." Orihime smiled at him as he looked back at her with his wide puppy dog like eyes. Trying to make it seem like what had just happened wasn't really phasing her at all so her son wouldn't worry about her. She thought she was doing a good job of faking enthusiasm up until Erik replied to her.

"Mother, you're a really bad liar. You're doing that stuttering thing you do whenever you lie. Are you sure you're okay?"

Orihime kept her eyes on the road ahead of her as they drove along, only managing a quick glance at her son who watched her weary smile slowly fading away. She sighed softly, flicking on the indicator as she pulled over in front of the school ready to drop Erik off for the day.

"No... everything today was just so messed up..." she confessed, slumping back into her seat and closing her eyes for a moment, trying to get her head around everything. And the reason to why Aizen just appeared in front of her like that when he was supposed to have been dead for the past ten years. It just wasn't supposed to have happened...

"Did you wanna talk about it?" Erik asked, though Orihime just shook her head silently.

"Don't worry mummy, everything's gonna be okay." Erik smiled, the usual spark in his eyes returning as he placed his hand on his mother's hand. "I mean, things can only get better right? That Aizen guy probably got his butt kicked by Gin-san and left by now..."

Orihime couldn't help but laugh a little at her son's sense of humour. He always knew just what to say to help cheer her up again, even after she'd had the worst possible day. He was always so reassuring and calm - even though he did sometimes get scared, he was still a child after all – and although he didn't know it, he reminded her so much of his father. As much in personality as in appearance.

"Oh Erik... you sure say some silly things sometimes." she giggled, messing up his chocolate coloured hair with her fingers. "But thanks."

"No problem. But who was that man anyway? He just showed up at our house for no reason... do you know him?"

"Oh, umm... we'll... talk about that later." she fumbled, just wanting to get to work and forget about Aizen for just one day before she unloaded everything about him onto her son. Both she and Erik had enough to worry about and she wanted for them just to have a normal day.

"Anyway, you better go get to class otherwise you'll get in trouble with the teachers again. We'll talk later okay?"

Erik nodded, before getting out of the car ready to go to his classes, grabbing his bag before he shut the car door.

"Okay mum, I'll see you later."

"You have a good day." Orihime called back to him as he went to shut the door, "And don't get into any more fights okay!"

"Okay mum. But you know that last one wasn't my fault, Kurosaki started it by badmouthing dad!"

"I don't care who starts it, just no fighting in school okay."

Erik sighed, only slightly annoyed. He just couldn't stand it when people spoke ill of his family, dead or alive. But he had to do as his mother said, he couldn't get kicked out of school for something stupid like fighting.

"Alright mother, I won't get into any fights today."

"There's a good kid. Okay, have a good day!"

"I will mum."

"Okay, bye honey!"

"Bye mum!"

And with that Erik shut the door and walked off towards the school, and Orihime pulled away and started off on the drive to work, her head still buzzing with thoughts of what happened earlier. Why had Aizen come back? He was dead... they told her he was dead, they said they'd done an autopsy. He died ten years ago, in her arms on the battlefield... so why was he alive? She'd fought him and killed him. She mourned him and then raised his son on her own. She even dreamt of him and woken up in the morning knowing he had already passed from this life. She had spent the past ten years on her own with Erik, living as if Aizen never even existed in her world. So how could this be, that now, after so many years, he could just reappear and take his place in her life again just like before?

Impossible. It was just impossible.

But then again, he was just an impossible man who did the impossible.

That was just the sort of man Aizen was. The sort of man she fell in love with. Unexpectedly of course, for in the beginning when she first laid eyes on him and heard of his betrayal she swore to herself that she would never like him. Even when he first asked her to bear him a child she swore to herself she wouldn't get too involved, that she was only doing as he desired so her friends wouldn't get hurt. But in the end she contradicted herself. She always did. No matter what happened, she was always made out to be the hypocrite when her loving nature got the better of her.

But back in Las Noches she was so alone, craving for any sense of affection regardless of who gave it to her. And there appeared this impossible man who was only more than willing to give it to her. And it became so hard to not fall in love.

Of course, looking back at the past now, Orihime knew that her relationship with him had been born out of so many lies and so much deceit to ever be considered real. But still, some small part of her would never forget how it was to love him.

But even if it _was_ all a lie, they had a child together. They made love and produced a child.

A child that was wanted and loved by the both of them. And this child was the priority now. She had to think of Erik now too and not just her own selfish desires.

She sighed again as she drove down the road, making all of the turnings down the little streets and stopping at all the red lights on the main road. Slowly turning into the car park of the veterinary surgery and pulled her car into the nearest available space. Her mind was far from easy, but still, she pushed all thoughts about Aizen to the back of her mind and took another deep breath. She had to go into work and it was her first day, so she had to make a good impression on everyone.

"Okay Orihime, this it it. Your very first day at your new job." She said to herself, trying to calm her nerves. She had been so preoccupied with Aizen showing up this morning that she forgot to mentally calm herself for her first day at work, which she had been anxious about all week.

She unplugged the seatbelt and reached over for her handbag that was on the floor on the passenger side of the car and smiled to herself. Even if it was a very nervous smile.

"Come on Orihime-chan, you can do this." she said, gathering up all of the confidence she'd had in the interview room as she sat there clutching her bag in both hands.

"You are an attractive, intelligent, confident businesswoman. You can do it Hime-chan."

And with that she got out of the car and shut the door, making sure to straighten her skirt before she walked across the car park to the door of the surgery, trying her very hardest to not think about Aizen and focus on doing well at work to provide for her family. That came first. She could sort everything else out later.


End file.
